A dye-sensitized solar cell module includes plural dye-sensitized solar cells that are electrically connected in series. Each dye-sensitized solar cell includes a working electrode, a counter electrode that faces the working electrode, and a sealing section that bonds these electrodes. The working electrode includes a transparent substrate, a transparent conductive film formed thereon, and an oxide semiconductor layer provided on the transparent conductive film.
In such a dye-sensitized solar cell module, as a method for connecting plural dye-sensitized solar cells in series, the method described in Patent Document 1 has been hitherto known. In the method described in Patent Document 1, a connection terminal formed of copper or nickel for connection to another dye-sensitized solar cell is bonded to a region in a titanium counter electrode, which region is at the surface on the opposite side of the working electrode and is on the outer side of the outer periphery of the sealing section, and also, a connection terminal is also bonded onto the transparent conductive film of an adjoining dye-sensitized solar cell. Thus, these connection terminals are connected to each other through conductive wires. Further, Patent Document 1 describes, as a method of bonding a connection terminal formed of copper or nickel to a titanium counter electrode, a method of bonding the connection terminal to the titanium counter electrode by applying ultrasonic wave to the connection terminal while pressing the titanium counter electrode by means of the connection terminal. Meanwhile, the connection terminal is bonded to the surface of the titanium counter electrode on the opposite side of the working electrode, in order to inject the electrons coming from an adjoining dye-sensitized solar cell or from an external source to the electrolyte through the titanium counter electrode.
Furthermore, as a dye-sensitized solar cell module such as described above, for example, the solar cell module described in Patent Document 2 as described below is known. Patent Document 2 as described below discloses a dye-sensitized solar cell module in which, in two adjoining dye-sensitized solar cells, an edge of the counter electrode of one of the dye-sensitized solar cells and the transparent conductive film of the other dye-sensitized solar cell are connected directly or through a conductive member such as solder or a conductive paste, in between adjoining sealing sections.